Machinations of a Mad God

The World Tree, Masu

Overview of Masu

The multiverse in which “Machinations of a Mad God” takes place is called Masu. Masu is the world tree and is composed of many individual universes known as Spheres. Each sphere is positioned along Masu’s ‘Branches’ and ‘Roots’. The outer most branches of Masu are the outer spheres such as Tian Tang (heaven) and Hades (hell). These outer spheres are manifestations of the abstract natures of existence such as the after life and emotions. Many of the outer spheres are multiverses themselves such as the Nine Hells of Hades.

Those spheres that compose the trunk of Masu are known as the middle spheres. These spheres are physical manifestations of the spirit. Each is purely focused on one particular aspect of Masu. The Middle spheres are not, strictly speaking, spheres, rather they are long stretches of existence from which the outer spheres are born.

Those spheres that compose the seven roots of Masu are the Elemental spheres. Mush like the middle spheres, the elemental spheres are pure manifestations of one aspect of Masu. Where the middle spheres provide Masu with the structure it needs to survive the Elemental Spheres are the source from which all the other spheres draw upon to be manifested. Unlike the other spheres where inter-spherical travel is impossible for all but those who have unlocked ancient and powerful magic travel between the elemental spheres is as simple as walking from one to the next (a fact that leads some scholars to claim that they are not even independent spheres at all). Because of the plasticity of their boundaries the inevitable bleed into each other. This bleeding forms a disc that surrounds the base of Masu called The Melds. The Melds are perhaps the largest spheres of existence . They are areas of unimaginable size and exhibit facets of those elemental spheres that are close to them.

In the very center of Masu, where the middle spheres and the elemental spheres meet are the three Mortal spheres of Correllius, Sylvastria, and Umbra. The three mortal spheres are blended and interwoven so much so that in certain areas where the boundaries are particularly thin a person could simply step into one of the other two spheres just as easily as one walks through a doorway.

Surrounding the World Tree are the twin voids of Etherius and Vatra. Etherius permeates all of Masu and acts as the barrier between the spheres while Vatra is the mysterious meta domain in which Masu floats.